Do you know your Boxing Lingo?
Do you know a feint from a parry? If someone said you had a good set of whiskers, would you now what they meant? What if they called you an upstart southpaw stylist with a glass jaw?
If you’re going to attend the Fight For Independence Bay Street Fisticuffs Main Event, you’ll want to understand the language used by our pugilistic professionals!
Luckily for you, we’ve gathered some of the most common boxing terms, ensuring you won’t be caught cold!
Bob and Weave: When a fighter moves his upper body in an up-and-down motion, making him more difficult to time correctly.
Bout: Another word for a boxing match.
Brawler: An aggressive fighter who likes to fight on the inside.
Break: The moment when the fighters are separating from a clinch.
Buckle: When fighter’s legs give way, as in “that punch buckled him.”
Card: The list of fights happening in a single boxing event.
Caught Cold: Term used to describe a fighter knocked out early in the fight that was not mentally prepared or warmed up properly.
Clinch: When fighters hold each other.
Combination: A seamless sequence of consecutive punches.
Counterpunch: Punch thrown in response to another fighter’s attack.
Covering Up: Defensive tactic where a fighter goes into a shell to thwart his opponent’s offensive.
Cross: Power punch thrown straight with the rear hand.
Eight Count: After a fighter is knocked down, the referee must complete a count of eight even if the opponent rises before that.
Feint: When a fighter acts like he’s going to punch but does not in order to get his opponent to react.
Glass Jaw: A trait of a fighter with questionable punch-resistance.
Go the Distance: Lasting for the complete scheduled duration of a fight.
Haymaker: A wild punch intended to knock out the opponent.
Mauler: An inside fighter who tries to prevail by smothering his opponents.
Neutral Corner: One of two unoccupied corners in the ring, and where fighters are sent after they knock down their opponents.
On the Ropes: Term used to describe a fighter in a dangerous situation trapped with his back against the ropes in a boxing ring.
Parry: Changing the trajectory of an opponent’s punch using the gloves to slap away the shot.
Paw: To meekly poke a jab out.
Play Possum: To act hurt in an effort to get an opponent to over-commit.
Pound-for-Pound: Term created to rank fighters based on excellence and not weight.
Roll with the Punches: When an opponent bends and twists with the punch, minimizing its impact.
Rope-a-Dope: Allowing an opponent to go on the offensive while covering up on the ropes and waiting for him to tire.
Rubber Match: When opponents fight for a third time, each having won one bout apiece.
Saved by the Bell: When a round ends, saving a hurt fighter that was on the verge of being knocked out.
Southpaw: A left-handed fighter.
Spar: Boxing for practice.
Stylist: A fighter who relies on skills rather than brawn.
Sucker Punch: A punch thrown at a distracted or otherwise unprepared opponent.
Technical Knockout: When a fighter is taking too much punishment and the referee stops the bout without completing a ten-count.
Throw in the Towel: When the trainer in a fighter’s corner wants to stop the fight, he throws a towel into the ring.
Toe-to-Toe: When both fighters stand in front of each other and engage.
Upstart: A new fighter with potential.
Whiskers: Chin. Used to describe a fighter’s durability, as in “he has a good set of whiskers.”
Only three days remain until Fight For Independence 2014! You can buy tickets or donate here, and please be sure to share this with family and friends. With your help, we’ll all be champions.
